GRIFFIN BARROWS
He’s turned the humble blowjob into an art and a successful business!
I needed some extra cash, I give pretty good head, let’s try sucking hot dudes on the side!
He’s turned the humble blowjob into an art and a successful business! Cameron McCool asked the master of head about his life and career. (Plus, he reveals some tricks of his trade over the page!)
DNA: Give us a little of the Griffin Barrows backstory.
Griffin Barrows: I’m 31. I grew up in South Carolina and have lived in Chicago for five years. Before porn I was a pastry cook and I still bake for fun.
You grew up in a conservative family. What led you to your life in porn?
I was at a point where I was living on my own and needed some extra cash, but I didn’t want to leave the job I was working so I was, like, “Hey, I give pretty good head, let’s try sucking hot dudes on the side.” And it led me to more fun than I thought I’d ever have!
You have a self-made online empire with a massive following on Twitter and OnlyFans. Where does your work ethic come from?
Ha! “Empire” makes me smile. I didn’t set oPuet to have a huge following. I remember once saying to a pal, “If I get fifty thousand followers,
I’ll be so psyched.” And now that I’m at nearly ten times that. Well, I’m super thankful, really. It still blows my mind.
I’ve never had anyone else write my posts on Twitter for me because social media relies on connections. If it weren’t for the people who posted and reposted about me, and all the collaboration with buddies along the way, I’d never have gotten past a few thousand Twitter followers.
As for work ethic, I just knew that I needed to do it if I wanted to become my best. Also, it’s pretty rewarding to interact online when you get to experience people’s sexuality and see new sex clips all the time.
Have you worked for any studios or have you always been an independent producer?
Oh, I worked for several studios, however, it seems that people really didn’t notice me until I went independent. It was that point where I could be authentic and in control that really helped me flourish and enjoy myself more. What are the pros and cons of the business model you’ve created for yourself as an independent producer / free agent?
Pros: You work when you want, you can call off if you’ve got a cold, you play with people you find hot, you control your own image, you make as much as your assets and hustle allow you. Basically, you have so much flexibility and potential.
Cons: you have to search for partners to work with, you have to do your own marketing, you edit your own footage, you book your own sexual health screenings, you must resist the temptation to get lazy, you have to purchase your own travel if you go somewhere to film. Basically, you have to work and sacrifice more as a free agent in hopes of a payout.
For me, I decided that I like working for myself and being able to showcase my sexuality in whatever ways I see appealing.
How has the coronavirus situation (selfisolation, lockdowns, shutdowns) impacted your business?
Oh, God! Gyms are closed, and home workouts just barely maintain my physique. Also, I had to returned early from Europe where I knew a ton of guys I really wanted to meet and video with.
We’re all in suspended animation, and that’s hard physically, mentally, and sexually. I’m currently playing a game of How Many Days te withChaunsIbSaanvde, My Load hoping that I can vid with Chasten.a dude soon or just cream the hell out of my
Fleshjack for a solo video.
How’d you come up with your porn name?
I picked Griffin off a multi-page list before my first studio scene. I had been playing a lot of Magic: The Gathering beforehand, and there was a griffin creature I used a lot in my decks. Barrows was assigned to me by the site editor when he made me business cards. I never used those cards.
You’re extremely motivated. What goals are you working towards with your porn career? Honestly, I’m just continuing onwards. I just treat being Griffin as my daily life, and the primary way to express my sexuality. Sometimes, I do daydream about making a House from a small eclectic group of performers, but that’s quite hard to do in this industry. I used to consider retiring early from indie porn and going back into regular work, but this is increasingly such a blast and a blessing.
Is it too early to think about life after porn? What do you see yourself doing once you retire from the industry?
It’s never too early to plan for anything! I’ve considered saving up to start a business, actually; it would be great to open a bakery and café and go back to those roots. I get a lot of satisfaction from artisan work.
What about your personal goals? Any you’re willing to share with DNA readers?
Oof, that’s a wide-open question. I’d like to see Montana, know where I want to live long-term, buy my own place to live in, find a romantic partner, and start baking again. I’d also like to justify my having a literature degree by publishing a novel.
What’s it like when your fans recognise you in the street?
Usually, it’s great! They timidly ask if it’s me (because who wants to guess wrong about a porn model?), I smile and say it is, then we take a photo. People are often so sweet, and it really makes me happy. Sometimes they shout, “Griffin!” at me, and that usually makes me laugh.
Does it ever get awkward?
Sometimes. One dude came up to me on the street with a boner in his basketball shorts and asked me to go have sex with him ASAP, but we were standing on a busy street and my barber walked past us and saw his hardon; she was… very confused and flustered. Super bad timing.
What advice do you have for anyone who’s either working in or considering moving into the porn industry?
My main advice is to focus on what you like doing, not just what you think is popular. Authenticity shows through more strongly, if more subtly, than trying to “play the game”.
If you’re going to do independent vids, remember it’s a full-time job and treat it as such: stay fit, make connections, schedule and record film, edit, market, pay taxes and interact with fans.
Also, don’t bait-and-switch fans. Lots of really hot guys will say they’re offering explicit, authentic videos, then they just post eight seconds of themselves soaping their censored bums in the shower. That is disrespectful to fans, as well as bad business.
Do you have a boyfriend?
I’m currently single. There’s not a physical “type” I want because all the guys I’ve been into have been very different from one another, but there are some features that are very important to me. I’d like to be with a guy who reads, has a hobby or craft, doesn’t do drugs or party, will go to museums with me, enjoys being outdoors, and is fit without using steroids. Also, it helps if his favourite sex thing is getting deep, sloppy blowjobs.